This invention relates to a track system for vehicles, and in particular, to an improved track system incorporating non-pneumatic wheels.
Agricultural implements such as tractors, combines and the like are commonly used in agricultural fields for a variety of jobs. Typically, these agricultural implements incorporate tires on which the implement is supported. Since these types of large agricultural implements are quite heavy, the weight of agricultural implements are distributed to a relatively small area on the tires of the implements. As a result, the tires on the agricultural implements tend to compact the soil in the fields. Compacted soil discourages the growth of crops planted in the fields which need loose soil to flourish.
In addition, since agricultural fields are often wet due to rain or watering, agricultural implements which enter the fields become bogged down in the mud due to the fact that there is such a small area of the tire in contact with the soil. As such, it is highly desirable to develop a track system for vehicles which disburses the weight of the agricultural implement over a larger area so as to reduce the compaction of the soil in the agricultural fields and to provide a track with a larger surface area which contacts the soil so as to prevent the agricultural implement from becoming bogged down in mud in the fields.
A prior track system for vehicles is disclosed in Kelderman, U.S. Pat. No. 5,452,949, assigned to the Assignee of the present invention and incorporated herein by reference. The Kelderman '949 patent discloses a track suspension system for a vehicle having a frame and a continuous track. The drive wheel is attached to the frame for engaging and driving the continuous flexible track. The drive wheel has a plurality of drive projections disposed thereon which engage depressions in the rubber track. As the drive wheel rotates, it engages and drives the continuous flexible track about the leading and trailing idler assemblies, and the mid-roller assembly.
As best seen in FIGS. 2, 8 and 11, of the Kelderman '949 patent, a complex structure incorporating a gas cylinder is necessary to provide shock absorption for the track apparatus disclosed therein. Further, it is difficult to inflate the idler and bogie wheels to an accurate dimension. Consequently, the positions of the idler assemblies and/or the mid-roller assemblies must be adjusted to compensate for inflation-related dimension changes to the wheels. Finally, pneumatic wheels are subject to fail at any time resulting in increased downtime for the agricultural implement.
In order to overcome problems with pneumatic wheels, steel wheels have been incorporated into prior art track systems. However, steel wheels provide no shock absorption for the track apparatus and tend to damage the flexible track. As a result, steel wheels are not a reliable substitute for the pneumatic wheels shown in the Kelderman '949 patent.
Therefore, it is a primary object and feature of the present invention to provide a track apparatus with a simplified structure for shock absorption.
It is a further object and feature of the present invention to provide a track apparatus which incorporates idler and bogie wheels having increased dimensional reliability.
It is a still further object and feature of the present invention to provide a track apparatus which incorporates idler and bogie wheels less are likely to fail.
In accordance with the present invention, a track apparatus having a frame is provided. The track apparatus is mountable on a rotatable axle of a vehicle and includes a continuous flexible track having an upper length and a ground-engaging lower length. A drive wheel is mountable to the rotatable axle of the vehicle for rotational movement therewith. The drive wheel engages the inner surface of the flexible track along the upper length to drive the flexible track in response to rotation of the axle of the vehicle. A leading idler arm has a proximal end mounted to the frame and a distal end. A leading idler wheel is rotatably mounted on the distal end of the leading arm and engages the inner surface of the flexible track. The leading idler wheel includes a first set of spaced void. It is also contemplated that the leading wheel include a second set of spaced voids therein. The second set of spaced voids in the leading idler wheel are radially spaced from the first set of voids therein. The leading idler wheel has an axial center and a predetermined radius. Each void of the first set of spaced voids is a predetermined radial distance from the axial center of the leading idler wheel. Similarly, the second set of voids is a predetermined radial distance from the axial center of the leading idler wheel.
The track apparatus also includes a trailing idler arm having a proximal end mounted to the frame and a distal end. A trailing idler wheel is rotatably mounted on the trailing idler arm for rotational movement therewith. The trailing idler wheel includes a first set of spaced voids therein. It is also contemplated that the trailing idler wheel include a second set of spaced voids therein. The second set of spaced voids in the trailing idler wheel are radially spaced from the first set of voids in the trailing idler wheel.
The track apparatus further includes a bogie arm having a trailing end mounted to the frame and a leading end. A leading bogie wheel engages the inner surface of the flexible track along the lower length and is rotatably mounted adjacent the leading end of the bogie arm. The leading bogie wheel has a plurality of spaced voids therein. Each void of the first set of spaced voids in the leading bogie wheels is a predetermined radial distance from the axial center of the leading bogie wheel. The track apparatus also includes a trailing bogie wheel which engages the inner surface of the flexible track along the lower length and which is rotatably mounted adjacent the trailing end of the bogie arm. The trailing bogie wheel also includes a plurality of spaced voids therein.
In accordance with a further aspect of the present invention, a track apparatus having a frame is provided. The track apparatus is mountable on a rotatable axle of a vehicle and includes a continuous flexible track having an upper length and a ground-engaging lower length. A drive wheel is mountable to the rotatable axle of the vehicle for rotational movement therewith. The drive wheel engages the inner surface of the flexible track along the upper length to drive the flexible track in response to rotation of the axle of the vehicle. A leading idler assembly is attached to the frame and includes a leading idler wheel engaging the flexible track. The leading idler wheel has a plurality of voids therein.
The leading idler wheel also includes an axial center. A plurality of voids in the leading idler wheel includes a first set of voids at a predetermined radial distance from the axial center of the leading idler wheel, and a second set of voids radially spaced from the first set of voids.
The track apparatus further includes a trailing idler assembly attached to the frame. The trailing idler assembly includes a trailing idler wheel engaging the flexible track and having a plurality of voids therein. The trailing idler wheel has an axial center wherein the plurality of voids in the trailing idler wheel include a first set of voids at a predetermined radial distance from the axial center of the trailing idler wheel and a second set of voids radially spaced from the first set of voids.
A leading bogie assembly is supported by the frame and includes a leading bogie wheel engaging the inner surface of the flexible track along the lower length. The leading bogie wheel has a plurality of spaced voids therein. The plurality of voids in the leading bogie wheel are a predetermined radial distance from the axial center of the leading bogie wheel.
A trailing bogie assembly is supported by the frame and includes a trailing bogie wheel engaging the inner surface of the flexible track along the lower length. The trailing bogie wheel has a plurality of spaced voids therein wherein the plurality of voids in the trailing bogie wheel are a predetermined radial distance from the axial center of the trailing bogie wheel.
In accordance with a still further aspect of the present invention, a track apparatus having a frame is provided. The track apparatus is mountable on a rotatable axle of a vehicle and includes a continuous flexible track having an upper length and a ground-engaging lower length. A drive wheel is mountable to the rotatable axle of the vehicle for rotational movement therewith. The drive wheel engages the inner surface of the flexible track along the upper length to drive the flexible track in response to rotation of the axle of the vehicle. A leading bogie assembly is supported by the frame and has a leading bogie wheel engaging the inner surface of the flexible track along the lower length. Each leading bogie wheel has plurality of voids therein. A trailing bogie assembly is also supported by the frame and has a trailing bogie wheel engaging the inner surface of the flexible track along the lower length. Each trailing bogie wheel has a plurality of voids therein.
The drive wheel includes upper and lower circumferential portions. The upper circumferential portions of the drive wheel engages the flexible track along the upper length. A leading idler assembly is attached to the frame. The leading idler assembly includes a leading idler wheel engaging the flexible track and having a plurality of spaced voids therein. A trailing idler assembly is also attached to the frame. The trailing idler assembly includes a trailing idler wheel engaging the flexible track and having a plurality of spaced voids therein.